Objectives : The aim of this study was to determine whether Mindfulness-Based Recovery Program from Addiction (MB-RA) produced positive effects on emotional awareness in a group of alcohol dependent inpatients. Methods : Nineteen alcohol dependent...
Objectives : The aim of this study was to determine whether Mindfulness-Based Recovery Program from Addiction (MB-RA) produced positive effects on emotional awareness in a group of alcohol dependent inpatients. Methods : Nineteen alcohol dependent inpatients finished the final 8-week follow-up assessment. Among them, 9 subjects participated in the 8-week MBRA program with weekly sessions (meditation group), and the other 10 received the usual treatment (control group). Both groups were assessed by Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and Empathy Quotient (EQ) at baseline and at 4 weeks and 8 weeks of MBRA treatment. Results : The meditation group showed significant improvements in TAS-20 total score and cognitive empathy score of EQ at the end of the study. It showed a tendency that the EQ total score of the meditation group was a little higher than that of the control group. Conclusion : The results of this study suggested the potential benefits of mindfulness meditation trainings by improving emotional awareness for alcohol dependences.